The present invention relates to an ice cube bag comprising:
two sheet-shaped foil layers having substantially identical geometrical configurations and defining an outer periphery, PA1 a peripheral joint extending along the major part of the outer periphery of the foil layers with the exception of a peripheral area constituting an inlet channel of the bag which peripheral joint joins the foil layers together mainly overlapping each other and defining an inner chamber in the interior of the bag which inner chamber is divided into several ice cube compartments being defined in relation to each other by separate joints of the foil layers, PA1 an inlet channel defined by joints of the foil layers and extending from the inlet channel to the inner chamber of the bag so that admission is allowed from the surroundings to the inner chamber of the bag through the inlet channel. PA1 two sheet-shaped foil layers having substantially identical geometrical configurations and defining an outer periphery PA1 a peripheral joint extending along the major part of the outer periphery of the foil layers with the exception of a peripheral area constituting an inlet aperture of the bag which peripheral joint joins the foil layers together mainly overlapping each other and defining an inner chamber in the interior of the bag which inner chamber constitutes at least one ice cube compartment and preferably several ice cube compartments being connected to each other and being defined by separate joints of the foil layers, PA1 an inlet channel defined by separate joints of the foil layers and extending from the inner chamber of the bag to the inlet aperture hereby allowing admission from the surroundings to the inner chamber of the bag through the inlet channel, PA1 two closure valve flaps being connected with the foil layers at the inlet aperture and extending from the inlet aperture into the interior of the bag towards the inner chamber of the bag along the inlet channel, the closure valve flaps being joined with each other and joined to the foils through the separate joints defining the inlet channel so as to provide two closure pockets which are open towards the inner chamber of the bag, PA1 the inlet channel comprising a first and a second section which first section is provided immediately after the inlet aperture and which second section connects the first section to the ice cube compartment or compartments, which first section is of a configuration mainly tapering towards the ice cube compartment or compartments, a constriction being provided at the transition between the first and the second section and which inlet channel defining a first direction constituting the longitudinal direction of the channel and a second direction in a plane parallel with the two foil layers and perpendicular to the first direction.
Numerous ice cube bags are known within this technical field, e.g. from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,207,420, Re.31,890, 4,822,180 corresponding to European patent No. 0 264 407, published European patent application No. 0 129 072, international patent application, publication No. WO82/00279, international patent application, publication No. WO87/01183 corresponding to European patent No. 0 248 817, international patent application, publication No. WO86/04561, international patent application, publication No. WO92/15491 corresponding to European patent No. 0 574 49 and published European patent application No. 0 619 948 and Danish patent No. 172.066 corresponding to published European patent application No. 0 795 393. In these numerous publications to which reference is made and which are hereby incorporated in the present specification by reference a large number of ice cube bag constructions of different embodiments having different closure devices are described, including knot closure, self-closure etc. Within this technical field it is commonly known that ice cube bags may either be glued or welded, the above mentioned Danish patent and the corresponding published European patent application describing an industrial method for production of ice cube bags having continuous or intermittent weldings.
It is commonly known within this technical field that ice cube bags with very strong joints, especially weldings or glueings may be produced, providing a safe and reliable containment of the ice cubes produced by means of the ice cube bag. Similarly it is generally realized that it may often be quite difficult for a user to open an ice cube bag in which ice cubes are contained, as the foil used, especially the commonly used polyethylene plastic foil and the rather strong joints, makes a tearing apart or opening of the ice cube bag quite difficult. In international patent application, publication No. WO87/01183 and corresponding European patent No. 0 248 817 an ice cube bag construction is described in which glueing is preferably used for establishing joints in the interior of the ice cube bag. The joints are later on relatively easy to separate again enabling a conversion of the ice cube bag from an ice cube bag divided into compartments into a non-compartmentalized ice cube bag. In the European patent it is stated that the joints enabling a conversion of the ice cube bag from a compartmentalized ice cube bag into a non-compartmentalized ice cube bag may be established as weldings or alternatively as glueings, as it should be possible for a person skilled in the art to deduce a technique to establish weak weldings enabling such a tearing apart of the joints for the purpose of converting the ice cube bag from a compartmentalized into a non-compartmentalized form. In this connection, in the European patent it is specifically stated that tearing apart of the joints, especially the glueings is not to cause any damage to the walls of the ice cube bag, i.e. cause a proper tearing of the ice cube bag, but only a separation of the joints previously established.